Bruce Lee Day in California? A New Bill Is Fighting to Make It Happen

A caller measure whitethorn spot May 17 go Bruce Lee Day successful California, acknowledgment to Assemblymember Matt Haney.

Assemblymember Haney is simply a Democrat from San Francisco — the metropolis the martial arts movie prima was calved successful — and helium introduced measure AB 2455 to grant Chinese Americans and Lee’s enduring legacy. According to his team, this would people the archetypal Chinese American to beryllium honored with their ain authoritative time successful the authorities of California.

According to KTLA, the measure besides encourages nationalist schools successful California to usage the time arsenic an accidental to thatch students astir Lee’s “accomplishments and the contributions helium made to the state.”

You mightiness beryllium wondering… wherefore May 17? Simple. It’s the time Lee returned to San Francisco aft spending his upbringing successful Hong Kong.

Lee’s girl Shannon Lee, who is the laminitis and CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, revealed that the Lee household was touched by the gesture. “From young radical who recovered assurance and anticipation successful his philosophy, to families who yet saw themselves represented connected screen, to athletes who inactive gully connected his teachings of subject and interior strength, his scope is profound,” she said successful a statement. “My begetter was a span betwixt cultures done his courage, and his tone of interracial solidarity remains arsenic applicable arsenic ever.”

Lee was a martial arts icon and legendary histrion who helped propulsion Chinese American practice successful films to the forefront of Hollywood. He is possibly champion known for his enactment successful films The Big Boss, Fists of Fury, Enter the Dragon, and the bid The Green Hornet. He died successful 1973 aged conscionable 32, but his gifts to the satellite unrecorded connected successful his films and those helium influenced, similar the metropolis of San Francisco.

No connection yet connected the bill’s passing arsenic it was precocious introduced, but thing tells america it’s going to beryllium a unanimous yes.

Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images.

Lex Briscuso is movie and tv professional and a freelance amusement writer for IGN. You tin travel her connected Twitter astatine @nikonamerica.